Finding the Noble Path Again
by cheri1
Summary: 10th Doctor and Donna Noble Co-written with Dee. After the events of Journey's End, Donna finds the Doctor again but can her memories be restored to her so she can travel with him once again?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story is co-written with my friend, Dee.

Chapter One

It was always the same dream. Night after night Donna would dream about a mysterious stranger whose features she couldn't see. His body was always blacked out like a living silhouette and he would come to her in a strange blue police box and try to beckon her away from the comfortable familiarity of Chiswick. Somehow she knew that the police box was bigger on the inside and that danger awaited the moment she stepped inside. But she also knew that it led to a much bigger, wider universe than what London had to offer her. As he stood outside the police box, Donna stared at the stranger. His body was thin, thin as a rake, but she could sense power flowing throughout it. He didn't seem dangerous but again she could sense that he could make whole armies tremble if he wanted to. Yet despite all this, Donna didn't feel threatened. Just the opposite in fact. She felt nothing but warmth and love from this strange shadowy man. A deep bond between her and him that she had never shared with any of her other friends. Cautiously she took a step towards him, compelled to be at his side.

"It's alright, Donna," the shadow man said, holding his hand out to her. "I've found a way to restore you and now you and I can travel the stars again."

Donna felt elation at that, an extreme happiness she'd only felt once or twice in her life. She longed more than anything to travel with the strange dark man in his TARDIS, somehow she knew that's what it was called and be his friend and companion again. Again? Was she his companion before? Donna was confused since she didn't even know who he was. She tried to think back to when she had traveled with any man before but there was only a vague impression that she had traveled with a man at some time in the past…or was it the future? She was so confused. But looking at him, she knew that if she went with him, all her confusion would fade away and all would be right in her life again. She held out her hand in a trusting manner.

"Come, Donna, come back to me so we can both heal one another," he said gently.

"I'm coming, Doctor, I'm coming," she said, crying out the name that came into her mind. The name that seemed right to her.

She was nearly to the door when her alarm clock went off. Donna's eyes snapped open and she groaned when the dream faded back into the deepest recesses of her consciousness. Seems she could never remember her dreams these days. She used to be able to recall them with ease but it seemed like lately something was preventing her from remembering. She shook her head. It didn't matter anyway; she had more important things to worry about. Groaning, she rose from her bed and began her day.

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By the time she got downstairs, her grandfather was sitting at the kitchen table eating his breakfast with her mother. Her mother was chatting to him about one of her friends and Donna couldn't suppress a smile when she noticed her granddad could possibly care less. She went to the fridge and put her hand on the handle to open it. She paused a moment and gazed at the ring on her finger. It was a cheap ring she'd found in a department store several years ago. Neris had teased her about it saying the stone was bigger than her head but she thought it beautiful. But now as she stared at it there seemed to be something mysterious about it, as if it were holding a great secret that she had to figure out how to get to. She gazed at it, transfixed, as the light from overhead made it sparkle.

"Donna?"

Donna was startled and she turned her head to see her Grandfather standing beside her, an amused grin on his face.

"I'd like to get the milk out and pour some into a glass before it goes sour," he said.

"Oh! Sorry, Granddad," Donna said, quickly moving out of the way.

Wilf chuckled and got the milk out. He looked back at her as he closed the door.

"What were you staring at just then?" he asked her.

"Probably daydreamin' again," Sylvia said as she walked over to the sink with her dishes.

"No, I wasn't daydreamin', MUM!" Donna spat out. "I was just staring at me ring."

Wilf chuckled.

"That there has got to be the biggest ring I've ever seen in my whole life," Wilf said pointing to it.

"It's ugly," Sylvia said. "Don't know why you bought it. It's gaudy and it makes you look cheap."

"Yeah, thanks Mum, that really helped my self-esteem a whooooooooooole heapin' lot!" Donna said to her.

Donna noticed her mother flinched at that and the warning look Wilf was giving her. She shrugged inwardly. No matter what she did, no matter what she or Granddad said, her mum always acted the same way, caustic and judgemental. She didn't expect any less from her than to cut her down with some sarcastic comment. But to her surprise, Sylvia suddenly turned and walked towards her. Donna eyed her warily thinking her mother was going to slap her but instead her mother embraced her and gave her a smile.

"I'm proud of you, Donna. I know I don't always say it but I am proud."

Donna was perplexed.

"Um…thanks," she said, not sure how to answer that.

She saw her mother glance at Wilf and Wilf nodded and smiled at her. She was even more confused. It seemed like they knew something she didn't which irritated her since she always hated being out of the loop. And then just like that, her mother was back at the sink washing up the dishes as if nothing had happened. Donna shook her head wondering if she would ever understand her.

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After eating, Donna borrowed the car and drove into town so she could do a bit of shopping and try to find a job. She had finally had her fill of her mother and one of her first priorities was to get out of the house and find one of her own, whether it be through marrying a man or finding a good paying job, whichever came first.

She parked the car near some shops and got out of it and that's when she spied a man across the street. For a moment, she couldn't quite place who he was and then it hit her. That night almost a year ago, he had been in her house speaking with her mum and granddad. John…John…Smith! That's it!

"Oi! John Smith!" she yelled.

The man turned in her direction and froze in his tracks. Donna thought the whole deer in the headlights look on his face was a bit strange but she thought perhaps he didn't recognize her as she trotted across the busy street towards him. The man was tense and looked as though he were about to bolt so she pointed at him.

"Wait, I wanna talk to ya!" she said.

She ran up to him panting. She caught a quick glimpse of his face and saw he was smiling warmly at her but there was something else, unshed tears? Why would there be unshed tears in his eyes?

"Donna Noble, was it?" John said in a casual tone of voice.

"Yeah, that's me. You were at me mum's house several months back."

"Yes…I remember," he said.

"Look, I'm sorry if I'm botherin' ya. If you have business…"

"Well, I…I really do need to go. Got something important to take care of."

Donna frowned. He sounded regretful about that. Did he fancy her?"

"Oh, alright then, well, I won't keep ya. Just wanted to say hello and…"

Just then they heard screams coming from a shop a few feet away. Donna watched as John turned and bolted towards it.

"Oi, wait for me!" Donna said, feeling compelled to run with him towards the source of the screams.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Donna ran after him for what seemed like miles and miles. All of a sudden she stopped dead in her tracks right behind "John Smith" while he trailed off further into a dark and bleak alley way. As she stopped, two females ran the opposite way out and looked terrified.

"What is it love? What's wrong?" Donna said, trying to calm the girls down.

"This thing, This thing… oh my God," after that was said both girls just kept running the other way and Donna felt compelled to go into that alley trying to find out what happened and get a word in with "John Smith". By the time she got to the end of the alley, John Smith was walking the other way out of the alley with a person or a creature that looked a bit odd with a drape over him, but Donna caught a bit of a glance and looked in amazement that this person looked most extremely odd…almost like a weevil, well if Donna knew what a weevil was.

"Uhh…We've got a bit of a streaker, just scared those girls half to death, gonna take him into the station, so ummm thanks, bye"

"Oi! You haven't answered any of my questions you…and don't try to run off again!"

"I'm a police officer…" Then the Doctor showed her the psychic paper to keep her at bay. "All those months ago I came to your house was after all that rubbish about planets in the sky, I had to follow up on and your neighborhood was assigned to me, now does that answer your question Ms. Noble?"

"For now!"

As the Doctor said that and started to walk away with the weevil to the TARDIS around the next block he felt a rush of guilt run over him, he hated the fact that he just had to lie to Donna again, but was glad that she didn't remember a thing about all of the things that they have done together.

After that fiasco with "John Smith" Donna had to get on with the rest of her day of shopping and finding a new job. So the Doctor flew the TARDIS to Torchwood to hand off the weevil to Captain Jack and decided to fly off to the stars to get his mind off of seeing Donna again with this facade in the way of his true happiness. The Doctor decided to fly off to the planet Philatosa to watch the beautiful constellations.

Donna phoned her mom in the early afternoon and told her that she may not be home for dinner because she was running behind on her errands. After Donna got off of the phone, her granddad had a certain look about him and it was a look of complete guilt when it came to Donna in these past several months, lying to his granddaughter every single day.

"Don't you even feel remotely guilty that you have to lie to your daughter every single day?" said Wilfred with a hint of disgust at themselves.

"As much as I hate lying to her, you heard what the Doctor said, if she remembers anything from all of that, then we will lose her!"

"But she was better with him, she was more outgoing, caring, adventurous, she was the real Donna, not this person staying in this house! SHE WAS BETTER WITH HIM!!!"

Sylvia had enough with this conversation and pretty much snapped at her father. "Don't you think that I want her to be more outgoing, more adventurous, that's why I nitpick like I do, I'm her mother, I've always wanted better for her, I love her too much!"

"I love her too, that's why I hate to lie to her, I want her to go back to the way she was, is that wrong of me?"

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"Oh my gosh, that was brilliant, that constellation was phenomenal!!!" '

The Doctor went into the Tardis after seeing all these beautiful things and he was so alone. The Doctor always thought he was better off being alone, but everyone who has been with the Doctor or been around him for even a second knows that he's better when he's around other people who can appreciate the wonders of the universe, time and adventure. The Doctor was about to head off to the planet of Philatosa when he got a call on the mobile from an old friend.

"Well if it isn't Doctor Jones…How are you Martha?"

"Well, I'm fine now Doctor, but the more important question is how are you? I've been trying to reach you for months since everything happened and you don't return any of my calls!"

"I'm sorry, but I've been traveling around the constellations and I don't know, I guess I really didn't feel like talking to anyone yet, not that I don't love talking to you Ms. Jones!"

"I can understand that but you could have still at least called me once so I know your all right!"

"I'm sorry, I guess I've been a little depressed since the whole thing with Donna, and after my day today…"

"I don't blame you, yah know? Wait, what happened today?"

"It's not important…but I promise I'll call you more to check in and maybe get you to come with me on a couple more trips."

"Ha ha, Maybe! Alright Doctor, I suppose I've got to let you go…Bye Doctor"

"Bye Martha." As the Doctor hung up the mobile from Martha he felt a feeling of brief happiness knowing that at least one of his former companions was still in his life. Now the Doctor headed off to another planet feeling alone as ever

"Have you got a hold of the Doctor yet?" asked Tom, Martha's fiancé who had compassion towards Martha.

"Yah finally, now I can stop worrying a bit! Sorry to be so moody trying to get him. If you knew him, you'd know the whole story."

"I understand, maybe I can meet him sometime, I mean he is important to you."

"Maybe…Maybe," Martha looked out the window as she said those words, she started to worry again a bit more. In a strange way, she still loved and cared about the Doctor and knew the undertone of that conversation, he was lonely.

As the Doctor sat in the Tardis, he decided to randomly pick a place to visit but something in the back of his mind told him to go to earth and maybe see Martha, help him forget his troubles for a bit. So off the Doctor went…to earth.

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Martha and Tom were in the kitchen discussing wedding plans over tea.

"Tom, are you mad? We can't put your cousin anywhere near my sister."

"Why not? He likes her!"

"But let's face it, it's not going to work out that way, what about here?"

As Martha said that, she started to hear a familiar noise, the sound of the Tardis.

"Martha what is that?" Tom said with a confused look on his face

"OH MY GOD, the Doctor!"

Martha and Tom ran into their living room and Martha saw the familiar sight materializing in her very flat. As soon as it stopped, the doors open and the Doctor emerged from the Tardis.

"Surprise!!"

"Doctor!!"

Martha ran and jumped in the Doctor's arms and hugged him like never before. All of a sudden the Doctor felt so happy to be near a good friend, one that cared about him and could return the favor.

"Hello Martha, long time no see! And you must be Tom, nice to finally meet you!" The Doctor shook his hand furiously and gave him such a hug.

"Nice to meet you too Doctor, Martha told me all about you, all good things"

"Well I'm glad"

"What are you doing here Doctor? Not that I'm not glad to see you"

"Let's just say after your phone call, I missed you, so I figured you wouldn't mind if I popped by for a visit. Oh! And I almost forgot"

The Doctor ran back into the Tardis and came straight out with gifts both for Martha and Tom.

"I got these for you both, early wedding gifts! That's a crystal Shimmertomb from the planet of Casabamdan. It shimmers brilliant colors you can't even imagine."

"Oh Doctor, it's gorgeous. Thank you!"

"Your welcome! And, I couldn't forget Tom, this is for you. It's from this market on the planet Atredon, it's a meteorite encrusted with Physotona, you can use it as a paper weight or put it on display."

"Wow, that is incredible, thank you Doctor!"

"You're welcome Tom. After all, you are marryihg my friend Martha and I mean it in a good way, Martha…haha!"

"Can you stay for Dinner, Doctor? I can make some steaks?"

"I'd love to!" The Doctor smiled and realized that with all of the stuff that's happened and being with someone that he cared about for a lot of reasons is worth it, to a point…


End file.
